Title: Promising Practices Against Hate Crimes: Five State and Local Demonstration Projects. Series: Monograph Author: Stephen Wessler Published: May 2000 Subject: Hate Crimes, Law Enforcement, Police Training 26 pages 43,000 bytes ------------------------------- Figures, charts, forms, and tables are not included in this ASCII plain-text file. To view this document in its entirety, download the Adobe Acrobat graphic file available from this Web site or order a print copy from BJA at 1-800-688-4252. ------------------------------- NCJ 181425 ------------------------------- U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs 810 Seventh Street NW. Washington, DC 20531 Janet Reno Attorney General Daniel Marcus Acting Associate Attorney General Mary Lou Leary Acting Assistant Attorney General Nancy E. Gist Director, Bureau of Justice Assistance Office of Justice Programs World Wide Web Home Page www.ojp.usdoj.gov Bureau of Justice Assistance World Wide Web Home Page www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA For grant and funding information contact U.S. Department of Justice Response Center 1-800-421-6770 This project was supported by Cooperative Agreement No. 95-DD-BX-K001, awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice to Community Research Associates, Inc. This document was prepared by the Center for the Study and Prevention of Hate Violence, University of Southern Maine, under contract with Community Research Associates, Inc. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. ---------------------------- The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, and the Office for Victims of Crime. ---------------------------- Promising Practices Against Hate Crimes: Five State and Local Demonstration Projects May 2000 NCJ 181425 Prepared by Stephen Wessler Center for the Study and Prevention of Hate Violence University of Southern Maine ------------------------------- Contents ------------------------------- Executive Summary o Training and Support for Law Enforcement Professionals o Meeting the Needs of Hate Crime Victims o Addressing Hate Crimes and Bias Incidents Among Youth I. Introduction II. The Simon Wiesenthal Center's National Institutes Against Hate Crimes o The Institutes' 4-Day Program at the Museum of Tolerance o Continuing Efforts of the Institutes--The Creative Use of the Internet o Summary III. The Victim Assistance Project in San Diego o The First Step--Immediate Response o The Second Step--Followup Contact o The Third Step--Weeks 2 Through 4 o Summary IV. The Los Angeles County District Attorney's JOLT Program o Prevention o Early Intervention o Prosecution o Summary V. The Maine Department of the Attorney General's Civil Rights Team Project o Trainings and Workshops o Mini-Grants o Statewide Conferences o Summary VI. The Massachusetts Governor's Task Force on Hate Crimes o The Civil Rights Team Program o Stop the Hate Week VII. Conclusion VIII. For More Information ------------------------------- Executive Summary ------------------------------- The five demonstration programs described in this monograph are among our nation's most promising models for confronting and reducing hate crime. These programs, funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice, were developed by state and local agencies. The first program provides training to law enforcement professionals; the second program addresses the needs of hate crime victims; and the last three programs focus on bias among youth, with an emphasis on removing hate from public schools. Training and Support for Law Enforcement Professionals o The Simon Wiesenthal Center's National Institutes Against Hate Crimes--Brings together multidisciplinary teams of law enforcement professionals from cities, regions, and states for a 4-day intensive course at the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles, California. By the end of the course, each team has developed a comprehensive, coordinated plan for addressing hate crimes in its community. Meeting the Needs of Hate Crime Victims o The San Diego Police Department and the Anti-Defamation League's Victim Assistance Project--Responds to hate crime victims' emotional and practical needs. When a hate crime is reported in San Diego, a trained victim assistance volunteer from the San Diego Police Department is called to the scene to provide emotional support and to coordinate services for pressing needs such as transportation, counseling, and medical attention. The project's victim assistance coordinator then works with the investigating detective to provide followup contact with the victim for weeks after the incident. Addressing Hate Crimes and Bias Incidents Among Youth o The Los Angeles County District Attorney's JOLT Program--Combines a comprehensive training program for faculty and staff at K-12 schools to recognize and deal with hate problems, a diversion program for juveniles who are involved in bias incidents and less serious hate crimes, and aggressive prosecution of teenagers who commit serious hate crimes or fail to complete the diversion program. o The Maine Department of the Attorney General's Civil Rights Team Project--Uses teams of students and faculty members to promote awareness of bias and prejudice in Maine's public high schools, middle schools, and elementary schools. More than 1,900 students in 133 schools statewide have participated. o The Massachusetts Governor's Task Force on Hate Crimes--Uses civil rights teams in high schools that are similar to the teams that have been established in the Maine project. The task force also promotes Stop the Hate Week throughout the Commonwealth and has sponsored a variety of student-directed events focusing on hate and bias prevention in schools. ------------------------------- I. Introduction ------------------------------- The impact of hate crimes is devastating to individual victims, entire communities, and, indeed, to the nation as a whole. Hate crimes, however, are being challenged in countless ways across this country by state and county prosecutorial agencies, police departments, civil rights advocacy organizations, and others. It is only through the creativity, hard work, and passion of the dedicated individuals who work for these many institutions that we will conquer hate, bias, and prejudice. Nancy Gist Director Bureau of Justice Assistance ---------------------------- Bias, prejudice, and the violence they engender are not a new phenomenon in America. The trial and execution of women suspected of being witches in colonial New England, the brutal and often deadly treatment of Native Americans by westward-moving European Americans, the anti-Catholic fervor of the Know Nothings in the 1850s, the bloody rampages of the newly born Ku Klux Klan in the South during Reconstruction, and the intimidation, beatings, and killings of southern blacks and civil rights workers in the 1960s stand as only a partial testament to our nation's tragic experience with hate and violence. During the 1980s and 1990s and continuing into this decade, we have witnessed hate crimes directed at African Americans, gays and lesbians, women, Jews, Asian Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, and the physically and mentally disabled. Some of these hate crimes--the murders of James Byrd, Jr., in Jasper, Texas, and Matthew Shepard in Laramie, Wyoming--have captured the nation's headlines, whereas too many others have occurred in virtual anonymity. The persistence of hate crimes throughout our history does not, however, mean that bias, prejudice, and violence are intractable. Across this country, people are developing new ways to confront hate. A monograph published by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) recently described six such innovative initiatives.[1] This monograph describes five additional efforts funded by BJA as demonstration sites. o The Simon Wiesenthal Center's National Institutes Against Hate Crimes, an intensive 4-day course that brings together teams of law enforcement professionals from cities, regions, and states to develop new and coordinated initiatives to combat hate crimes. o The San Diego Police Department and the Anti-Defamation League's Victim Assistance Project, an innovative collaboration to provide victims of hate crimes with both immediate and emotional assistance. o The Los Angeles County District Attorney's JOLT Program, a comprehensive early intervention, prevention, and diversion initiative addressing teenage perpetrators of hate crimes and bias incidents. o The Maine Department of the Attorney General's Civil Rights Team Project, a statewide program for preventing bias, prejudice, harassment, and violence that is used in more than 120 high schools, middle schools, and elementary schools. o The Massachusetts Governor's Task Force on Hate Crimes, a civil rights team project that sponsors student-directed events and Stop the Hate Week in schools throughout the Commonwealth. Individually, each demonstration project presents a new and creative effort for confronting the nation's problem with hate crimes. Collectively, the programs demonstrate that multifaceted approaches are needed to confront, respond to, and prevent hate violence. The most effective approaches include coordination among all components of the criminal justice system, focused efforts to address the needs of the victims of hate crimes, diversion programs for youth, and activities encouraging hate crime prevention in our schools. Ultimately, our success in decreasing the number of hate crimes will depend upon many organizations, both governmental and private, using similarly creative approaches to combating bias, prejudice, and violence. ------------------------------- Footnote: 1. Stephen Wessler, February 2000, Addressing Hate Crimes: Six Initiatives That Are Enhancing the Efforts of Criminal Justice Professionals, Washington, DC: Bureau of Justice Assistance, U.S. Department of Justice ------------------------------- II. The Simon Wiesenthal Center's National Institutes Against Hate Crimes ------------------------------- The concept of the Institutes is to bring together teams of criminal justice professionals in leadership positions throughout the United States, and challenge them, individually and as a group, to formulate fresh thinking, create new strategic theory, and design blueprints for collaborative action. Liebe Geft Director Museum of Tolerance Simon Wiesenthal Center ---------------------------- The Simon Wiesenthal Center, through its acclaimed Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles, California, created the National Institutes Against Hate Crimes with a grant from BJA. The Institutes utilize the Museum, a faculty of nationally recognized experts on hate crimes, and the Internet to conduct intensive training sessions with teams of criminal justice officials from cities, regions, and states. The Institutes' 4-Day Program at the Museum of Tolerance Each Institute hosts three to five teams. Each team has six members: one judge or other representative of the judiciary, one prosecuting attorney, one public defender, one probation officer, and two law enforcement officers. Although most teams are from densely populated metropolitan areas such as greater New York City and Los Angeles County, some teams are from smaller, more rural states. Participants for the course are chosen for the leadership positions they hold within their communities and within their organizations. Each team is expected to formulate new strategic approaches to combating hate crimes based on a fresh understanding of the unique elements that differentiate hate crimes from other criminal acts. Day 1 The program begins with a facilitated tour of the Simon Wiesenthal Center's Museum of Tolerance. The museum's interactive exhibits allow participants to study the dynamics of bias, prejudice, oppression, and hate violence. Museum exhibits present the Holocaust in both historical and contemporary contexts. Participants have frequently stated that the tour is a moving, thought-provoking beginning to their work. For law enforcement professionals, the tour is a unique opportunity to compare historic events to present-day situations they may encounter on the job. According to museum Director Liebe Geft, the tour encourages participants to hold a mirror to themselves and confront closely held beliefs. In the afternoon, participants hear and discuss the personal experience of a victim of hate violence. Presenters have included Holocaust survivors and an African American who as a child was involved in the desegregation of the Little Rock, Arkansas, schools. One participant commented that hearing from a Holocaust survivor demonstrated the "ability to translate personal horror into activism." The remainder of the day is devoted to sessions led by experts on different facets of hate crimes. Topics include demographics, crime mapping, and the impact of hate crimes on victims and their communities. These sessions are followed by a panel and breakout group discussion of best practices in law enforcement to combat hate crimes. The panel includes representatives of the judiciary, prosecutor's office, public defender's office, probation department, and police department. Day 2 The day begins with a presentation on contemporary hate groups, followed by a discussion of constitutional issues surrounding the enforcement of hate crime laws. A former member of an organized hate group describes his or her personal history. The afternoon session explores intergroup tensions and how those tensions affect hate crimes, the different strategies for combating hate crimes, and the process for reaching a consensus among team members in selecting the best strategies. Day 3 Each team spends the third day working together to develop innovative and coordinated strategies for addressing hate crimes in their jurisdiction. The goal is to create a detailed blueprint for collaboration that can be implemented when team members are back in their communities. This effort is at the heart of the Institutes, and the most important challenge for team members is to work together to implement the plan. Day 4 The final day examines the explosive growth in the use of the Internet by hate groups. At the outbreak of the Gulf War in 1990, only one hate site existed on the Internet. In January 2000, there were more than 2,000 such sites. Continuing Efforts of the Institutes--The Creative Use of the Internet The Simon Wiesenthal Center has developed an innovative approach to using the Internet for the Institutes' participants. Each participant is issued a personal password to access the center's customized Web site. The password enables participants to obtain up-to-date information and resources on hate crimes, to stay connected with the center's staff, and to communicate with one another. The Wiesenthal Center also plans to conduct two video conferences at which the teams will share the results of their efforts. Summary The Simon Wiesenthal Center plans to conduct at least 10 Institutes in 2000. What sets these programs apart is not only their intensity but also their focus on developing concrete strategies for implementing coordinated hate crime prevention and response efforts. Participants' access to sophisticated computer technology allows teams from all over the country to share best practices as they begin the difficult job of confronting hate crimes in their local communities. ------------------------------- III. The Victim Assistance Project in San Diego ------------------------------- We want to send a strong message: We are not going to tolerate hate crimes in San Diego. David Bejarano Chief of Police San Diego Police Department Hate crimes are message crimes. The message they carry is, "You don't belong here; you don't matter." The message we mean to convey is just the opposite: "Those who would make our people afraid and divide our communities will not succeed." Morris Casuto Director San Diego Regional Office, Anti-Defamation League ------------------------------- Individuals who are targeted because of their racial identity, religion, nationality, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, or physical or mental disability not only suffer physical injury and property damage but also frequently feel intense fear and isolation. For many hate crime victims, this emotional degradation leaves deeper scars than physical injury. The San Diego Victim Assistance Project addresses both the immediate and the emotional needs of victims of hate crimes in a comprehensive, citywide program. The First Step--Immediate Response The first response of a San Diego police officer to a hate crime is to call in an Anti-Defamation League-trained crisis interventionist who works directly with victims at the scene of a crime. At the scene, the crisis interventionist confers with the officer and then meets with the victims to talk about their needs. Frequently, the initial need of victims is validation of their feelings of anger, fear, and isolation. The crisis interventionist addresses this need and determines what tangible support the victims require, often staying with them long after the responding officer has taken a report. The Second Step--Followup Contact On the following day, the crisis interventionist contacts the victim assistance coordinator, who manages and coordinates the Victim Assistance Project's response to hate crime victims. The victim assistance coordinator immediately calls or visits the victims to assess their needs for ongoing services. The detective investigating the incident also contacts the victims at this time. This followup is crucial for two reasons: It provides continuing emotional support and it allows the victim assistance coordinator to assess the victims' changing needs and to make referrals to community organizations and service providers. As part of this project, the victim assistance coordinator has developed a list of community-based organizations and other service providers who arrange services at no or reduced cost to victims of hate crimes. These services include repainting homes, religious buildings, or other institutions defaced by hate graffiti; fixing or replacing windshields broken by vandals; repairing or replacing locks; and moving victims to new housing. The Third Step--Weeks 2 Through 4 The third step in the project occurs 2 to 4 weeks after a hate crime. During this period, the victim assistance coordinator discusses the status of the investigation with the detective and calls or visits victims to report on how the case is progressing. The victim assistance coordinator reassesses whether the victims have ongoing emotional or practical needs and makes appropriate referrals. Regular updates on the investigation are also provided at this stage by the investigating detective. The victim assistance coordinator's regular contact with victims usually ends at this point. ------------------------------- Most victims of hate crimes are injured not only externally but also to the soul. We want to help repair their souls and bring the community together. Too often, victims of hate crimes don't know where to go. That will not be a problem in San Diego. Morris Casuto Director San Diego Regional Office, Anti-Defamation League ------------------------------- Summary The San Diego Victim Assistance Project is special because it combines immediate response to the needs of hate crime victims with followup contact and services for several weeks after a hate crime has occurred. Moreover, the project is one of the few that focuses simultaneously on victims' two different types of needs: the emotional and the tangible. Most important, it sends a strong message to perpetrators of hate crimes that their bias, prejudice, and violence are not tolerated in San Diego. ------------------------------- IV. The Los Angeles County District Attorney's JOLT Program ------------------------------- Every student should be able to attend school without being subject to harassment or worse because of their race, religion, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or physical or mental disability. Simply put, the JOLT Program seeks to ensure that every student is able to realize this important and basic goal. Gil Garcetti District Attorney Los Angeles County ---------------------------- The Los Angeles County District Attorney's JOLT (Juvenile Offenders Learning Tolerance) Program is an innovative hate crime initiative for youth that combines prevention, early intervention, and prosecution. JOLT focuses on hate crime in Antelope Valley, a sprawling community 80 miles northeast of Los Angeles with a population of 200,000 residents and 64 schools. The region has one of the highest juvenile hate crime rates in Los Angeles County and the state of California. Juvenile hate crimes have targeted the region's African-American, Hispanic, and gay and lesbian populations. Prevention JOLT's prevention component has two separate parts. The first involves intensive 2-day educational workshops for school faculty, staff, and administrators at the Simon Wiesenthal Center's Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles. The museum's interactive Holocaust exhibits allow visitors to explore issues of bias, prejudice, and hate violence. Teachers are taken on a facilitated tour of the museum and then participate in a workshop focusing on valuing differences, engaging in cross-cultural communications, and developing specific tools for addressing these issues in their curriculum. The second part of JOLT's prevention component is onsite training at Antelope Valley schools. The entire faculty, staff, and administration of elementary, junior high, and high schools attend full-day workshops provided by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office or the Facing History and Ourselves National Foundation. Facing History and Ourselves, an organization that develops curricula and workshops for teachers on bias, prejudice, harassment, and hate, was recognized in the President's Initiative on Race 1999 publication, Pathways to One America in the 21st Century: Promising Practices for Racial Reconciliation. A second workshop is conducted by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office using the Flashpoint curriculum. Teachers are instructed how to incorporate the curriculum into elementary and junior high school classes. The curriculum uses film, music, and written material to educate young people about civil rights, biases, stereotypes, and discrimination. Early Intervention JOLT's early intervention program is a preprosecution diversion program for juveniles 12 to 18 years old who have engaged in bias-motivated misconduct or have committed low-level hate crimes. Juveniles are given the option of being suspended or expelled from school or participating in the diversion program. Similarly, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office refers juveniles who have been accused of committing less serious hate crimes to the program. Juveniles who elect to go through the diversion program start with an informal hearing in the County District Attorney's Office, accompanied by their parents or guardians. The hearing process is held within a week of the referral to show juveniles that their conduct has immediate consequences. Juveniles who are determined by the District Attorney's Office to have engaged in bias-motivated conduct or a hate crime and who show a degree of accountability, sign a JOLT contract. Under the contract, they must (1) complete an intensive antihate curriculum, (2) attend a training program focusing on anger management and conflict resolution, (3) write letters of apology to the victims, (4) fulfill a restitution agreement, if appropriate, and (5) attend school, receive satisfactory grades, and demonstrate good citizenship. The antihate curricula used in JOLT--one for juveniles and one for their parents or guardians--were developed by the National Conference for Community and Justice (NCCJ). The curriculum for juveniles is taught in 3-hour sessions for 7 weeks. The sessions for parents are held for 10 weeks. Both curricula focus on giving participants a better understanding of their own biases and the impact of bias-motivated harassment, property damage, and violence on victims. The benefits are significant for juveniles who complete the diversion program. They avoid the filing of a petition in juvenile delinquency court and are allowed to return to or remain in school. More important, they begin to understand the destructive consequences of their hate and the need to view diversity in their community from a different perspective. Prosecution The final component of the JOLT Program is prosecution for three types of juveniles. Juveniles who have committed serious, often violent, hate crimes are categorized as hardcore offenders and are considered to be unsuitable for the diversion program. This category also includes juveniles who have engaged in two or more incidents of bias-motivated misconduct. Juveniles who are referred to JOLT but refuse to sign the JOLT contract are also dealt with in this component. The final category includes juveniles who sign the JOLT contract but fail to meet its requirements. Summary What sets JOLT apart is its comprehensive approach to addressing bias-motivated misconduct by juveniles at a variety of levels. The program helps teachers incorporate issues of diversity and respect into the classroom, gives juveniles an alternative to the court process, and protects the community by prosecuting juveniles who have committed serious, violent crimes or who refuse to participate in educational or diversion activities. ------------------------------- V. The Maine Department of the Attorney General's Civil Rights Team Project ------------------------------- No students in this state should have to experience anxiety, fear, or terror in their elementary, middle, or high school because of the color of their skin, their religion, their gender, their sexual orientation, their disability, or any other aspect of themselves that makes them different from other students. The secret to the success of the Civil Rights Team Project is law enforcement working together with teachers and administrators to empower students to stand up for civility and respect. The concept is simple; the concept is powerful; and the concept works. Andrew Ketterer Attorney General State of Maine ------------------------------- In fall 1996, the Maine Attorney General used BJA funds to start the Civil Rights Team Project in 18 middle and high schools. The project addressed school-based bias, prejudice, harassment, and violence. In 1997, with a larger grant from BJA, the project expanded to 58 schools and has continued to grow since then. As of the 1999-2000 school year, more than 117 middle and high schools and 4 elementary schools had developed civil rights teams. More than 1,700 students in Maine now participate in civil rights teams. Maine's civil rights teams are made up of three or four students per grade, plus two or three faculty advisers. The teams have two formal responsibilities. First, they promote awareness of bias and prejudice within their schools. Second, they organize forums for students to talk about harassment. If a team receives information about harassment, it is charged with forwarding that information to a responsible teacher or administrator. The Attorney General's office assigns a community adviser to each team to serve as liaison between the team and the Department of the Attorney General. Trainings and Workshops Maine's Department of the Attorney General provides full-day training each fall for new and returning civil rights teams and for faculty and community advisers. These trainings, which are conducted by staff of the Department of the Attorney General using the office's own curriculum, include the following: o A presentation on the type of hate crimes committed in Maine schools. o Interactive exercises on the role of degrading language and slurs in escalating a situation to serious harassment and violence. o A presentation by a Holocaust survivor or a victim of bias and prejudice in Maine. o Role-playing exercises on how to run effective civil rights team meetings. o Small group work on real-life scenarios. o Plans for the upcoming year. Every school participating in the civil rights team project agrees to host the Department of the Attorney General for a half-day workshop for faculty, administrators, and staff. The workshop gives teachers and other school staff a better understanding of the destructive impact of degrading language and bias-motivated harassment and teaches them how to intervene when students engage in such behavior. Mini-Grants The Department of the Attorney General has developed a mini-grant program that provides civil rights teams up to $300 for projects addressing bias, prejudice, and harassment. Civil rights teams have used these grants to buy materials for bulletin boards focusing on civil rights issues; to pay for speakers on civil rights issues; to produce documentary films showing the importance of preventing bias, prejudice, and harassment; and to fund numerous other projects. Statewide Conferences Each spring, the Department of the Attorney General holds a statewide conference for all of the civil rights team students and their advisers. In spring 1999, more than 1,000 students attended the conference, which was held at the Civic Center in Augusta, the state capital. Students attended plenary and breakout sessions on understanding different aspects of diversity and developing skills to pursue civil rights causes within their schools. Summary The success of the Maine Civil Rights Team Project lies in its ability to tap the energies of the large number of students who are committed to ensuring that schools are places where respect for difference is valued and where no student should be scared because of harassment or violence. Increasingly, student civil rights team members are becoming leaders in their schools in confronting harassment and promoting diversity and respect for difference. ------------------------------- VI. The Massachusetts Governor's Task Force on Hate Crimes ------------------------------- The Massachusetts Governor's Task Force on Hate Crimes has initiated a two-part school project focusing on preventing hate violence. The first component of the program was the establishment of civil rights teams in seven Massachusetts high schools in fall 1999. The second component, scheduled for May 1-7, 2000, is Stop the Hate Week, a public awareness and education campaign targeting schools and communities throughout the Commonwealth. BJA has provided funding for both components of the project. The Civil Rights Team Program In early fall 1999, the Task Force selected seven pilot high schools as sites for civil rights teams. The civil rights teams are located in high schools throughout the Commonwealth. The teams, which have 12 to 18 students, work in their schools to promote an understanding of diversity and to decrease school-based bias, prejudice, and harassment. The Task Force partnered with the National Conference for Community and Justice to develop curricula and conduct training for the seven civil rights teams. In mid-October 1999, NCCJ conducted a 2-day training program for more than 100 students and faculty advisers. The workshop's activities increased the students' understanding of their own biases and prejudices and taught them skills to make their schools more accepting of difference and ultimately safer. NCCJ and the Task Force also developed a curriculum for training teachers on how to reduce bias, prejudice, harassment, and hate violence in their schools. During 2000, the Task Force will conduct half-day workshops for faculty, staff, and administrators at each of the seven schools with civil rights teams. The Governor's Task Force is creating a Web site (www.stopthehate.org) for the project. The site has two components: The first provides public information on the Task Force's programs, and the second is accessible by civil rights teams with a private password. This site will permit student members of civil rights teams in Maine, Massachusetts, and West Virginia (which established a civil rights team project in 15 schools in 1999 through its Attorney General's Office) to communicate with one another. Stop the Hate Week In the first week of May 2000, the Task Force, in conjunction with the seven participating civil rights teams, will sponsor Stop the Hate Week in middle and high schools throughout the state. The event will distribute hate crimes curricula to schools throughout Massachusetts and promote "bystander responsibility" for acting against bias, prejudice, and hate crimes. Stop the Hate Week will also include cultural and educational activities such as art exhibits on civil rights history; speaking events featuring survivors of the Holocaust; community forums in Boston, Worcester, and Springfield; and a variety of programs directed and sponsored by students themselves. The Task Force expects to disseminate public service announcements to media outlets statewide focusing on civil rights issues and respect for differences. ------------------------------- VII. Conclusion ------------------------------- No one approach exists to confronting and preventing hate crimes in this nation. Rather, hate crimes will only be successfully addressed when countless people throughout the 50 states work together to develop approaches that are appropriate for their local communities and work individually to develop the courage and skills to serve as role models of civility and respect. We hope that others will take the programs described in this monograph as guideposts for developing their own programs tailored to the needs of their communities. Rose Ochi Director Community Relations Service U.S. Department of Justice ------------------------------- BJA and every component of the U.S. Department of Justice have made it a priority to stop hate-motivated violence. Disturbing acts of violence and harassment based on racial and ethnic identity, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, gender, and disability occur in every type of American community, from the inner city to the smallest rural town. But in the face of this violence, communities are fighting back. Like the organizations and community leaders cited in this monograph, schools, civil rights groups, police departments, prosecutors' offices, county and local governments, and neighborhood organizations are taking action against hate-motivated violence. Their innovative programs often take different approaches, tapping each community's unique resources. However, these communities are bound together by their creativity and by the dedication of the growing number of men, women, and youth who passionately devote their time and energy to confront hate crimes. BJA will continue to highlight these promising and effective programs, providing resources and ideas to other communities combating hate violence. ------------------------------- VIII. For More Information ------------------------------- Please use the contact information below to learn more about the programs discussed in this monograph. Simon Wiesenthal Center's National Institutes Against Hate Crimes Liebe Geft, Director Museum of Tolerance 9760 West Pico Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90035-4572 310-553-8403 World Wide Web: www.wiesenthal.com/ Lucinda Freeman, Project Coordinator 310-772-7619 E-mail: Lfreeman@wiesenthal.net San Diego Police Department and Anti-Defamation League's Victim Assistance Project Anna M. Knuth, Officer San Diego Police Department 1401 Broadway San Diego, CA 92101-5729 858-573-5040 or Morris Casuto, Director San Diego Regional Office, Anti-Defamation League 7851 Mission Center Court Suite 320 San Diego, CA 92108-1328 619-293-3770 Los Angeles County District Attorney's JOLT Program Linda Baek, Deputy District Attorney/JOLT Program Manager 320 West Temple Street Room 780-29 Los Angeles, CA 90013 213-893-2118 Maine Department of the Attorney General's Civil Rights Team Project Thomas Harnett, Assistant Attorney General 6 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333 207-626-8848 E-mail: Thomas.a.Harnett@state.me.us World Wide Web: www.state.me.us/ag/crt/crt.htm Massachusetts Governor's Task Force on Hate Crimes Christina Bouras, Executive Director Governor's Task Force on Hate Crimes c/o Executive Office of Public Safety, Programs Division 1 Ashburn Place, Suite 2110 Boston, MA 02108 617-727-6300, Ext. 25339 World Wide Web: www.stopthehate.org For information from other organizations that are addressing hate crimes, please contact any of the organizations listed below. Anti-Defamation League 823 United Nations Plaza New York, NY 10017 212-490-2525 Arab American Institute 918 16th Street NW., Suite 601 Washington, DC 20006 202-429-9210 Fax: 202-429-9214 Bureau of Justice Assistance 810 Seventh Street NW., Fourth Floor Washington, DC 20531 202-616-6500 Fax: 202-305-1367 Bureau of Justice Statistics 810 Seventh Street NW. Washington, DC 20531 202-307-0765 Fax: 202-307-5846 Community Relations Service U.S. Department of Justice 600 E Street NW., Suite 2000 Washington, DC 20530 202-305-2935 Fax: 202-305-3009 Disability Law Center 11 Beacon Street, Suite 925 Boston, MA 02108 617-723-8455 Fax: 617-723-9125 Facing History and Ourselves National Foundation 16 Hurd Road Brookline, MA 02146 617-232-1595 Fax: 617-232-0281 Federal Bureau of Investigation J. Edgar Hoover Building 10th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW. Washington, DC 20535 202-324-1143 Federal Bureau of Investigation Criminal Justice Information Services Division Attn: Uniform Crime Reports 1000 Custer Hollow Road Clarksburg, WV 26306 304-625-4995 Fax: 304-625-5394 Human Rights Campaign 919 18th Street NW. Washington, DC 20006 202-628-4160 Fax: 202-347-5323 International Association of Chiefs of Police 515 North Washington Street Alexandria, VA 22314-2357 703-836-6767 Fax: 703-836-4543 National Asian Pacific American Legal Consortium 1140 Connecticut Avenue NW., Suite 1200 Washington, DC 20036 202-296-2300 Fax: 202-296-2318 National Conference of Christians and Jews 71 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1100 New York, NY 10003 212-206-0006 Fax: 212-255-6177 National Congress of American Indians 2010 Massachusetts Avenue NW., Second Floor Washington, DC 20036 202-466-7767 Fax: 202-466-7797 National Council of La Raza 1111 19th Street NW., Suite 1000 Washington, DC 20036 202-785-1670 Fax: 202-776-1792 National Criminal Justice Association 444 North Capitol Street NW., Suite 618 Washington, DC 20001 202-624-1440 Fax: 202-508-3859 National Gay and Lesbian Task Force 1700 Kalorama Road NW. Washington, DC 20009-2702 202-332-6483 Fax: 202-332-0207 National Network of Violence Prevention 55 Chapel Street Newton, MA 02158 617-969-7100 Fax: 617-244-3436 National Women's Law Center 11 Dupont Circle NW., Suite 800 Washington, DC 20036 202-588-5180 Fax: 202-588-5185 Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention 810 Seventh Street NW. Washington, DC 20531 202-307-5911 Fax: 202-307-2093 Office for Victims of Crime 810 Seventh Street NW. Washington, DC 20531 202-307-5983 Fax: 202-514-6383 President's Initiative on One America The Old Executive Office Building Washington, DC 20502 202-395-1010 Simon Wiesenthal Center 9760 West Pico Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90035 310-553-9036 Fax: 310-553-8007 U.S. Commission on Civil Rights 624 Ninth Street NW., Suite 700 Washington, DC 20425 202-337-0382 Fax: 202-376-7558 U.S. Department of Education 600 Independence Avenue SW. Washington, DC 20202 202-205-5557 Fax: 202-205-5381 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development 451 Seventh Street SW., Room 10000 Washington, DC 20410 202-708-0417 Fax: 202-708-2476 U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, Criminal Section 601 D Street NW Washington, DC 20530 202-514-3204 Fax: 202-514-8336 Violence Against Women Office 800 K Street NW., Suite 900 Washington, DC 20531 202-616-8894 Fax: 202-307-3911 Women's Legal Defense Fund 1875 Connecticut Avenue NW., Suite 710 Washington, DC 20009 202-986-2600 Fax: 202-986-2539 For additional information about BJA programs, contact: Bureau of Justice Assistance Clearinghouse P.O. Box 6000 Rockville, MD 20849-6000 1-800-688-4252 Fax: 301-519-5212 Clearinghouse staff are available Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. eastern time. Ask to be placed on the BJA mailing list. U.S. Department of Justice Response Center 1-800-421-6770 or 202-307-1480 Response Center staff are available Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. eastern time. ---------------------------- Bureau of Justice Assistance Information General Information Callers may contact the U.S. Department of Justice Response Center for general information or specific needs, such as assistance in submitting grant applications and information on training. To contact the Response Center, call 1-800-421-6770 or write to 1100 Vermont Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20005. Indepth Information For more indepth information about BJA, its programs, and its funding opportunities, requesters can call the BJA Clearinghouse. The BJA Clearinghouse, a component of the National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS), shares BJA program information with state and local agencies and community groups across the country. Information specialists are available to provide reference and referral services, publication distribution, participation and support for conferences, and other networking and outreach activities. The Clearinghouse can be reached by o Mail P.O. Box 6000 Rockville, MD 20849-6000 o Visit 2277 Research Boulevard Rockville, MD 20850 o Telephone 1-800-688-4252 Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. eastern time o Fax 301-519-5212 o Fax on Demand 1-800-688-4252 o BJA Home Page http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA o NCJRS World Wide Web http://www.ncjrs.org o E-mail askncjrs@ncjrs.org o JUSTINFO Newsletter E-mail to listproc@ncjrs.org Leave the subject line blank In the body of the message, type: subscribe justinfo [your name]